Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center

This place gets five stars for one thing more than anything else: Spectacle.
It’s a magnificent modern hotel, but every inch of it is classic old Southern style, and grand construction. An architecture nerd could have one heck of an afternoon just looking at the inside :)
But, where it really shines, is the four — four! — *massive* indoor garden areas, each one focused on plants from different Southern regions. And it’s incredible! I mean, it’s the kind of thing the gets me all excited. It feels like being in the tropics, and since it’s man-​made, they can do everything with it that you can’t in the wild. For example, have a bar right in front of a waterfall, or a koi pond surrounding a taqueria.
Sure, it’s all artificial and carefully curated, but the final product had my jaw firmly on the floor for the several hours we were there. Really, it’s absolutely worth the trip!
We parked in a parking lot nearby (it’s $ 20+ to park on-​site, even for a sightseeing jaunt — but not at the Mall!) and took the five-​minute walk in. Short as it was, we were sweating furiously by the time we actually made it to the door — that Tennessee summer takes no prisoners :)
We stopped for some drinks and an appetizer, and while it was absolutely worth it, a heads-​up that you will be charged the Hotel tax on top of the usual, so the prices are quite high.
Still, look at the pictures. And if you’re anywhere nearby, I really recommend checking it out!

Honestly, I’m severely underwhelmed. Don’t get me wrong the hotel is huge, entertaining and with beautiful atriums and many walkways but it’s insanely overpriced! Everything is. The rooms. The food. The drinks.
It’s not worth the price for the size of the rooms and the service.
I’d recommend getting a cheaper place and going to the various attractions around town.

Good hotel but everything cost more than it should. The room wasn’t awesome for the price. The restaurant cost double what it should have cost and was just ok. The drinks were over priced.
They charge $ 18 a day for internet access and you can not turn it down. It should just be part of the room cost. So I would call it a hidden fee. They charge $ 24 a day for parking which it optional. But they don’t make it convenient to park next door. We got our room cost down to $ 119 a night but or firewall cost after fees and taxes was $ 184, just to give you an idea you the up charges.

Mediocre rooms, the worst food I’ve ever had (how do you mess up a Caesar salad!?) and the whole massive property shuts down at midnight. Want room service or a bag of chips at 12:05 — not so much as a vending machine. Even basic amenities like in-​room coffee or the hair dryer were cheap and generic. The place needs a massive renovation.
The atriums were pretty but the pools were hideous. The place is impossible to navigate because the signage sucks and not a single person who works there can tell you how to get to another part of the hotel.
I came for a convention but if I’d paid for my stay myself, I’d be furious. In reality though, I never would have booked this place. It’s clearly for conventions, old people and families with no taste.

30 minute wait to check in was not a good first impression. Then we got a king for 3 people. It gets worse… Waited 30 minutes for a new room assignment when they said 10 minutes.
New room was nice. Whole facility is spotlessly clean.
Restaurants are good, but a little pricy.
Pool areas are popular for families.

This place is quite unique and I really enjoyed strolling it’s many paths! If you take the time to walk around, you’ll learn a lot about he history of Tennessee and Nashville and the birth of «music city» as we know it today.
Part of the water is a contribution from countries all around the world and every American states which delivered gallons of water from their own land for build a united body of water at the Gaylord opryland resort. I find the gesture awesome and the meaning behind it fantastic! We are all united as human beings and here we are represented in the waters… lol ok, I stop.
The shops are quite cute and, of course, highly priced but it’s always nice to look at stuffs!
Food wise, some of my friends had a phenomenal 4-​course meal at the Old Hickory and they adored it! They got a salad, a lobster bisque, a fantastic buttery steak, and an ever more delicious cheesecake! Lucky me, I got to have some leftovers! Pricy meal, but great for the fine gourmets. I personal enjoyed a MASSIVE Cobb salad at Fuse, an even more massive sport bar in an adjacent (but connected) building. It was under $ 20 and I loved it! Could easily feed 2 people: great crunchy lettuce, tomato, blue cheese, eggs, bacon, avocado and I chose to topped mine with tasty pulled chicken!!! Yummy!
Finally, sampled the frozen yogurt place and honestly, at the time (05/​27/​2016 –6pm/​ish), the textures of most froyos weren’t right: they were way too soft and had weird colors. Only the dulce de leche was on point. It’s sad because it’s pricy and it didn’t even seem healthy ya know…
Now if you followed my story, you know I ate my meal, had froyo and ate my friends leftovers. Go ahead, judge me ;)
Overall, great to stop by before going to the grand olé Opry! Awesome for families and friends to hang out! I would love to have stayed at the resort :) even if you aren’t going to the show, it’s worth the detour.

If you are looking to be close to the opry or the outlet mall this is the place for you. If you want to be downtown on Broadway stay downtown instead. The hotel is very nice. The atriums are great to walk through but can be a bit annoying if you need to go grab something from the shop or to the front desk.
Downtown is actually about 6 miles from this hotel and there is nothing to do near the hotel except the outlets or the opry. If you are looking for the bar scene you will need to ride the shuttle or grab über to get downtown (cost us 13.99 for über). The restaurant within walking distance were subpar and we did not eat at the hotel restaurants but they were neat to look at. The parking is a nightmare right now but they are in the middle of construction and it may be better once they are done. If if I had a redo I would have used valet but it was further to walk to the lobby than our car.
Overall a great stay but with the money paid for room + resort fee (which got you 2 bottles of water… That’s about it) + parking we could have stayed at a much nicer place downtown.

Mixed feelings on this particular stay earned an iffy 3 stars from me. Read on.
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First and foremost, this place is beautiful. It’s like walking into a biodome filled with plants, flowing water, and tons of shops. We arrived quite late in the evening, so most things were closed inside but it was still a sight to behold.
This place is so huge that you literally need a map to find your room. No joke. They give you a map and some verbal directions to navigate to your room. Perhaps it was late. Perhaps I didn’t pay full attention. But we got lost; we took a wrong turn in Albuquerque (as Bugs Bunny would say). We had to go down stairs to get to the correct elevators, but then couldn’t figure out where the hell the room was. It was kind of a nightmare and I eventually took the elevator back up and just started searching floor by floor until I found it. Grr!
So the room… at first glance, it was nice. Nothing extra special to write home about. Unfortunately, my bed was broken. It creaked horribly, and was slanted downward towards the right side. It made trying to sleep a bit of a challenge. At least the pillows here were decent. I’ll give them that. Seeing as it was already quite late and we needed to get up early, we didn’t make a complaint. It wasn’t until the next day when I was told by my overnight roommate how much the overnight stay cost. It definitely was not worth it! It’s just another overpriced attraction.

I just returned home from a week at the Gaylord Opryland. I had never been to Nashville before and needed to attend a conference at the hotel. Thankfully they offered a reduced rate, because the hotel is mighty expensive otherwise. It’s a beautiful hotel that is incredibly easy to get lost in. Rooms are comfortable and clean, and they offer the standard amenities (water, toiletries, coffee).
I do wish the live music in the atriums ended earlier. Sometimes there were weddings or concerts going on on the other side of my room/​window until almost 10pm.
The staff is accommodating and friendly, and I had no troubles when asking for things or for rooms to be rekeyed.
They have a riverboat cruise that is $ 9.25 for hotel guests which I did, and it was nice. However, I think it should have been free for hotel guests.
The shuttle downtown is convenient, but expensive.
The restaurants are also pricey, but worth it if you splurge at Ravello, or get the Nashville Cheesesteak at Fuse. I was less impressed at Jack Daniels and The Falls.
The carpeting throughout is dated, but I won’t knock the rating for something like that. It was just something I noticed immediately.

Nice hotel and near airport, smoking free and big gardens indoor…
My first trip in Nashville and have to come back again.

Because I went to see the Grand Olé Opry, stopped by the Opryland which is only 5 mins walk away. It’s technically a hotel campus. The peak is the waterfall. Water sounds and the view is spectacular. I’d recommend stopping by.

Can we say «massive»?! It’s just a huge place in terms of the number of rooms to the size of atrium with waterfalls and running creeks, etc. It feels like you are in a botanical garden as you enter the hotel. However, I was not too impressed with our room. It was nice, but it wasn’t great. I had better rooms in less expensive business hotels. Service was good. Restaurants in the hotels were OK. Probably the best deal I had was a decent breakfast for $ 20 or so. Service tends to be slow since they are always busy with guests. Massive hotel+huge number of guests+limited number of restaurants=slow service. If you are here for Grand Olé Opry House, it is in a walking distance. So it makes it very convenient. There’s also a decent size shopping mall with many chain restaurants. That might be a better option for meals.

This convention center is amazing. I literally got lost three times. There are several amazing atriums with lakes, waterfalls, and tropical gardens. There is no reason to leave the resort with so many bars and restaurants to choose from. But no chance of that this is Nashville so I’m off to check out the nightlife later tonight. I’m here for my company’s annual conclave.

I call this hotel the Complex Complex. I have stayed here twice for a work convention and have to say that I still got lost at this place. It is quite expansive and for some reason I was always looking for a central lobby or landmark but got lost in the tunnels and hallways looking for my room. The room was average and you can get a view of the interior biodome or if you are lucky, a window to the outside. I would have liked thicker comforters and felt like I just had a sheet on the bed. The water in the shower was never really hot. The hotel is split into three areas (Cascades, Delta and Magnolia). Even with a map, I feel like you need to ask for directions because it all feels like a maze. The conservatory feels like a rain forest with all kinds of tropical fauna and waterfalls. It was 25 degrees Fahrenheit outside and snowing and inside the biodome, you don’t even notice it. I wish I had some more positive reviews but I was just not impressed with my stay at this massive hotel. I really could not wait to go back home.
Room Tip: Get a map and good luck finding your room.

What a fun place for those that want to get to their step goal while taking in the sites! I love new places and I love walking so when friends of ours were staying there for a baseball convention the weekend of Jan. 9^th, I jumped at the chance to finally check this place out.
My fiancé and I met up w/​my best friend and wandered around for at least an hour. I loved the waterfalls and foliage. The place is clean and I couldn’t help but think if you were to get married here, you wouldn’t have to leave to get pics anywhere else b/​c the the scenery is so serene.
I didn’t find any of the employees to be overly friendly or friendly for that matter…
We saw their room which had a king bed and she said a small fridge– it was typical of other Marriotts.
There are a lot of places to eat but from what I gathered, you’ll pay way more than what the food is worth– my suggestion would be go somewhere else for a plethora of dining options in the Donelson area.
Parking was easy in and out– we didn’t have to pay as we had a guest w/​us BUT if you just want to check it out w/​o paying, park close by and walk over.

We stayed at this resort for four nights last week while my husband attended a conference there. The resort is grand, beautiful and well kept.
All of the employees that I came into contact with (from restaurant servers, to the lady at the spa who did my pedicure, to the lady who gave us our Delta riverboat tour) were attentive, friendly, and full of suggestions on things to do and see while at the resort, and also the easiest ways to navigate around the resort. One of the bellmen in the Magnolia lobby actually helped us pinpoint our Über GPS pickup location.
Every atrium /​neighborhood is unique in its own way and has something to see (walk the gardens, ride the river boat, sit by the falls).
The fitness center is HUGE and has tons of cardio equipment (and the individual cardio TVs actually worked) and tons of nice weight lifting equipment. The outdoor pools were closed for the winter but the indoor pool was large and tranquil.
My spa pedicure was to die for. I enjoyed hanging out in the spa lounge before and after my appointment.
Our room was in the Cascades neighborhood which is the last neighborhood to be remodeled (we learned this from a tour boat guide). Even though it was not remodeled, the room was kept up well and clean. The TVs have this cool feature that allows you to login to your Netflix account and various other apps. The maid came at decent time each day and did an excellent job cleaning. We were very pleased with the room portion of our stay (although there is SOOO much more to this hotel than just your room!).
One day I needed out of the hotel so I walked to the Opry Mills mall next-​door. It was about a 10 – 15 minute walk. There is a complimentary hotel shuttle on the half hour of each hour though.
Two complaints (minus 1 star so really just fair warnings):
#1 — the lines: mid week the lines for everything were almost unbearable (coffee shop, breakfast places, etc). they really cram a whole lot of conferences in and the place gets crazy
#2 — the prices: food is very expensive for what you get (my two egg, hash brown plus biscuit breakfast @ Cascades was $ 22 before tip! Two rolls of sushi and a non alcoholic mocktail @ Wasabi was $ 44 before tip!)
MUST DO’S:
— relax by the falls in Cascades in the AM with your coffee or in the PM with a beverage of your choice
— ride the Delta river boat AT NIGHT (we highly enjoyed hearing the history of the hotel and seeing the view at night… bring a beverage along with you)
— watch the Delta fountain shows from the balcony outside of the pizza place on Delta island (we loved the «Aqua» show @ 8PM)
— go up the the Delta mezzanine for a beautiful view of almost the entire Delta atrium
— splurge with dinner at Old Hickory (you will get the most bang for your buck here… be sure to make reservations in advance)
Also note that an Über ride to downtown (Honky Tonks /​Broadway) was $ 16-​$ 18 (so if you are planning on eating elsewhere figure that into the cost you will save over the expensive resort restaurants).

OVERALL: this is something to do and show around out of towners. I’ve been here at least 3 times, but twice was more than enough for me. A OK rating for me. I’m not a big plant person but I think if you are then you’ll love this place.
WHAT: Inside is basically a jungle garden forrest with a man made river running through it. You can take a boat ride on it during business hours and they take a photo of you that you can purchase. I think it’s better to see inside during the day. But better to see outside at night especially during the holidays when they have all the Christmas lights decorating the trees outside.
KIDS: Every time I’ve been here they have some kind of children’s exhibit fun activity for them. It’s usually during a range of hours though.
EAT: Restaurants are definitely over priced but it is a hotel so that’s expected. Ice cream place was yummy. Nice bathrooms. I thought this would be a more happening place at night with the bars, but they were empty.
PARKING: $ 21 for self parking. Free if up to 20 minutes but I swear their clock tacks on an extra 10 min so you have to pay the fee.

Dreadful stay at the Gaylord Opryland.
Check-​In: Aggressive check-​in woman. I simply expected a King room that I had reserved. She stated that bed type reservations were simply «requests.» She proved her point by sending me to the farthest room in the 2200+ room hotel basement (I’m not kidding… I had to find the only elevator that went «down» from the lobby level and then walk past the hotel laundry department to get to my room).
Pillows: Three postage stamp sized pillows for the king bed were not enough for one person because they were so flimsy. While on the subject of the bed, the sheets were so thin they were see-​through — kinda gross.
The room-​service Eggs Benedict were atrocious. A rather anemic looking plate (see photo) with a ramekin of the most horrendous tasting hollandaise sauce I have ever experienced. Do they buy this powdered sauce mix from an army surplus store? Nothing else on the plate — no hash browns or potatoes of any kind were included with this eggs Benedict… Cheap kitchen, not so cheap price.
The rooms are dated and certainly very dark and dreary. The windows have been locked shut (see photo) so don’t expect any fresh air
Dead battery in the in-​room safe (see Photo). Oh joy!!!
What a process to get a battery: Called to explain that the battery in the safe was dead. They sent security to confirm that yes, the battery was dead (the flashing «BATT» was a giveaway I guess.
The security person then authorized a maintenance person to come and change the battery. Maintenance arrived and replaced the battery. So glad I had an hour to kill in my dreary room for this lovely experience.
$ 30 (one way) Gaylord Resort shuttle to the airport was just one of many outrageous charges at this hotel. A cab is a $ 25 flat rate for up to 4 people.
Housekeeping arrived at 5:50PM to clean the room. I had called hosuekeeping at around 3:30 simply to make sure they hadn’t overlooked the room. The snippy person on the phone said: «Because this is such a large hotel, we have until 6PM to clean your room.» Well OK then. I guess she was exactly right. I’ve never experienced anything like it and I practically live in hotels.
On a positive note, the bellman that carted our luggage (for miles and miles) to our room was a delight. I think his name was Nick? or Victor? He said that he started at the hotel in 2001, took a break, and came back to work there. He was charming and pleasant. Also, the ballroom dinner was very good with attentive service during the reception and the dinner.
Nashville is a likable city but my stay at the Gaylord Nashville has made me dislike Nashville immensely. It’s one thing to have a tired convention hotel but I did not expect the surly staff to go with it.

We came here for the express purpose of checking out the multiple lobbies of this expansive resort! I can see why it is a convention center because there is a TON of space to accommodate large groups.
The lobbies are absolutely beautiful and it was a nice break from the TN mugginess that we had been experiencing during our visit!
My mom, kiddo and I did a huge lap around the place and were not disappointed for a DIY free walking tour. Lol. There is a boat tour that you can take, but we skipped out on it since we were in a hurry to get to dinner.
It puts you in mind of a lot of the Las Vegas lobbies, without the flair. To my disappointment, the majority of the staff there is not very friendly, as compared as to the majority of the people we had met in Nashville. Often staff would pass us and not speak or even make eye contact with us! We were tourists just like any others wandering around and this was definitely not a «tony» property, so I do not know what that was all about.
I am not sure if I would bother with staying in the hotel, just because it is SO large and feels disconnected, community-​wise. I saw guests at check-​in but I do not envy those who have to make the trek from one side of the hotel to the other.
Again, it is worth your time to look and walk around as a «to-​do» in Nashville!

The grounds at Opryland Resort is nothing short of stunning. All the landscaping is well maintained, and it’s a mini-​town under a giant dome (think Jim Carrey’s movie The Truman Show) full of shops, restaurants, bars, a spa, and even a indoor riverboat tour (think gondola ride at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas). Every room as a view of the courtyard/​town, and it’s so convenient that it’s connected to the Convention Center. The rooms were clean and modern. The bed was comfortable. I loved having the blackout curtains and the balcony that you can sit out on and enjoy the view. My only complaint of the room would have to be the temperature control. It was impossible to get the room to a comfortable temperature.
Honestly, with the hotel being as big as it is, I’m surprised it doesn’t have some sort of internal transportation system, i.e. golf carts, stops on the riverboat, etc. I, of course, was given a room on the farthest opposite end from the convention center as possible, and I was schlepping a heavy backpack for the 3 days I was there, so needless to say, my currently pregnant self was not happy with how much I had to walk just to get to and from my room and the work conference I was attending.
There is an airport shuttle which runs every half hour as well as a shuttle that can take you to downtown Nashville (you can buy a day pass).
It really is a cool place to stay if you’ve never stayed there before. Even if you don’t stay there, make a stop there just to see the place and walk around. It’s an experience to remember.